


Keith Becomes a Vlogger

by MapleHere



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: #notmyshiro, Fluff, Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, and I really don't think I can go back through and change them all, but for now it's just a silly piece about a boy becoming a vlogger, edit: there is now Klance, klance, lion switching, mainly because I started this before Pidge's vlog came out, possible spoilers for season 2/3, there may be Klance later on, vlogger Keith
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-09
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-01-15 06:44:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 4,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12315855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MapleHere/pseuds/MapleHere
Summary: After Keith's first paladin vlog, Coran suggests that he may want to do a retake, maybe with just a tad fewer emotions this time.  Well, as he makes his "do-over," he realizes that this is somewhat cathartic.  Keith decides to do these more often, and chaos ensues.





	1. Take Two

**Author's Note:**

> So I was a bit too sad at the result of Keith's paladin vlog and decided to give it a try for myself. What started as a short "Take Two" fic has blossomed into a bunch of short little video journals, incorporating other characters as well.

Keith sighs and sits in front of the camera, waiting for it to focus.

“So, Coran said I should do another one of these things because my last one wasn’t...exactly what he was looking for, I guess.  I don’t know if he’s still gonna use it or not, but in case he doesn’t, I’m, uh...I’m Keith, and I fly the Black Lion, uh…

“I couldn’t think of anything to say last time either, but I guess what I  _ did  _ say was kind of...personal…um…”

Keith clears his throat and glances off camera before taking a slow breath and sighing.  “Um, well, I guess I should start with...Castle life?  There’s a...a pretty nice training room, I guess.  It’s usually pretty clean, and it doesn’t really smell like a gym, which is weird…

“It, uh...it actually tried to kill me once,” the paladin chuckles to himself, looking down and biting back a small smile.  “Oh, but don’t worry about it doing that again!” he corrects quickly.  “It was just a freak accident, something with the crystal being corrupted or something.”

He looks off camera again and furrows his brows.  “I can't--what do I say?  This is so dumb…”  He shakes his head and looks to his right before rolling his neck and looking back at the camera.  “Castle life...well, the rooms are all nice, I guess...um...there’s a pool?  It’s upside down, though, so I’m not sure how you’re supposed to swim in it…”

Keith clicks his teeth together a few times, looking around the room.

“Man, this is really hard...I feel like I should have prepared something to...to talk about…”  He chuckles nervously and shifts in his seat before looking directly into the camera and leaning forward slightly.  “Y’know, all the things I  _ could _ talk about are probably...not coming to mind because all I can think of is what I’m  _ not _ supposed to talk about…”

After a moment of awkward silence, Keith sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.  “Why are we even doing this?  Like, what’s the point?  Once we take down Zarkon, Voltron’s job is over, right?  There’s no one else to defend the universe from, right?  I mean, Lance  _ really _ wants to go home, and Hunk?  He’s  _ dying _ to have some of his grandma’s peach cobbler.  Pidge still needs to find Matt, and Shiro?  Shiro just...really needs a break.

“I mean, what would Voltron do after Zarkon is gone anyway?  All we’re doing now is stupid airshows anyway; the Empire is practically dissolving on its own.  We could probably swing by Earth for a visit anytime we want and Allura just  _ isn’t _ telling us.”

Keith throws his arms up before sighing again.  “I’m--I’m sorry I just...everyone is really homesick, and it doesn’t seem like Allura really cares that much.”  He crosses his arms and closes his eyes.

“I...I think I’m done for this...whatever it is,” he says, moving to stand.  “Bye.”

The camera shuts off.


	2. Vlog #2(3?): Keith Gets Some Things Off His Chest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is tired, and Shiro is different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna be posting the first few chapters today just to add a bit of length to this, but updates won't be as rapid later on

When the next vlog starts, Keith’s face is out of the shot until he sits down.  “Hey, uh...I decided to do this...thing...again…”  He clears his throat and the image focuses.  “This never gets less awkward, does it?  Talking to no one…

“Not that I’m saying that you guys are no one, I mean--if anyone even ends up watching these.”

“I um...I should start over…”  He moves to stand and shut off the camera but stops himself.  “Actually, no.  This is a record, right?  Y’all deserve to know that you don’t have to be perfect.”

He sits once more and stares directly into the camera for a moment before starting to laugh.  “I-I’m sorry I just-- _that was so cheesy!”_ he gasps.  “That’s almost like something _Shiro_ would say.”

Once he finally calms down, he falls silent again, though now he seems a bit more comfortable.

“Oh wait, has Shiro even made his video yet?  Do you even know who Shiro is?  He’s the leader--or _was._  Now I’m...kind of in charge, I guess?  I’m not really the Black Paladin, but I guess he’s not either, I mean, Black won’t even open up for him anymore, which makes no sense…she chose _him_ , not me…”

There’s a long moment of silence as Keith’s brows furrow.  He thinks for a long time, and when he finally speaks again, he’s much quieter.

“I just...don’t understand what changed, y’know?  Like...everything was fine before he disappeared, but now that he’s back, he’s...different…”  He shifts in his seat and folds one leg over the other.  “At first I thought it was just...just stress, or trauma, or something, but...he doesn’t really seem _that_ affected by disappearing…”

The paladin shakes his head.  “Maybe I’m just overthinking it...it’s getting kind of late...I guess I’ll...see you in the next one?

“Bye.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Hit me up on the tumbl at hopped-up-on-maple-syrup and go check out my friends/beta readers at rose-madder-gaze and amadeus-amadeo!


	3. Vlog #3(4?): Keith Does NOT Get Beat Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith decides to ask Coran for "one of those phone things" so he doesn't have to film all of his vlogs in his paladin armor.
> 
> Also, he steals Lance's jacket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy Lance's introduction. it's a doozy.

Keith’s face is too close to the camera in his next vlog, and the lighting is different.  There’s a loud,  _ Shffsh, _ as he shifts and the shot shows a glimpse up his left nostril.

“Okay, is it on?  Yeah.  Okay.  Hey guys, so I asked Coran for one of those phone things so I didn’t have to sit in a chair in my videos or wear my armor because, honestly, it’s not that comfortable.

“You’d think an endlessly advanced alien race would have battle armor that doesn’t chaff and chairs that don’t hurt your back if you sit in them for more than ten minutes.”  The grin Keith sports is one that has been absent in previous videos, but he’s honestly enjoying himself too much to notice.

“So today at dinner, Hunk let Coran serve one of the desserts, but only after spending a solid  _ five minutes _ teaching him how to “properly present the dish,” which is honestly something I never thought I would see: a teenager teaching an 11,000-year-old alien how to “present” what was basically ice cream.

“I’m pretty sure part of it was a joke, because the process was pretty complicated, but Lance seemed to be taking it pretty seriously, so I’m not sure.  Have y’all met Lance yet?  Probably.  I think he recorded his video yesterday or something.”  He shrugs and shifts again to rest his head against the wall behind him, revealing a double chin.  “Speaking of Lance, he left his jacket in the washer after training so I took it.”  Keith pans the phone around to catch a brief glance at the bomber jacket hanging next to his door before bringing it back to himself.  “I wonder how long it’ll take him to notice.”

 

The video cuts to shaky footage of Keith’s face as he runs from a figure that seems close behind him.

_ “GUYS HE NOTICED!   _ **_HE NOTICED!”_ **

 

The next shot is of the ceiling, Keith’s chin is in the bottom of the frame, but most of his face is obscured by a pair of hands much darker than his own.  “So, it turns out that Lance can hit pretty hard.”

_ “Pretty _ hard?!  Face it, Mullet, I beat you up!”

“I’d hardly call a black eye “getting beat up,” Lance.”

Lance’s hands move and the top of his head enters the frame, cut off just below the tip of his nose.  “I  _ totally  _ beat him up.”

Keith pushes Lance’s face out of the frame and looks down at the screen before picking it up and looking at his own image.  “It’s not even that bad.”

“Are you kidding?  First the mullet and now a black eye?  Ladies will start running the second they lay eyes on you.”

Keith deadpans and turns the camera on Lance.  “Like you’re much better; your hair is getting a little long in the back if you ask me.  I’d almost say it’s a  _ party _ back there.”

Lance’s face pales as he stares at the teen filming him.  “Did you just... _ did you just...make a joke?” _

Keith’s snickering can be heard off camera as the meaning of his joke also dawns on the darker boy.

“I am  _ not _ growing a mullet!  Shut up, Keith!”

His laughter dies down as it becomes evident that Lance is genuinely upset by the teasing.

“Oh, um, uh,  _ shoot _ , I was just kidding, Lance.  I’m sorry man, I didn’t mean--I’m so sorry.”

The phone falls to the floor with a clatter as Keith grabs Lance’s face.  “Your hair is great, Lance, there’s nothing wrong with it, I was just--I just wanted, I’m sorry.”

It takes Lance a moment to register Keith’s actions, but once he does, he grabs his wrists and pushes them away from him, casting his gaze to where the phone lies.  He blushes and kicks it away, causing the two of them to leave the frame.

“Whatever, man.”  The sound of a chair scraping against the floor.  “I’m going to bed.  See you at breakfast, I guess.”  The door slides open and Lance’s footsteps retreat.

Keith sighs heavily before walking over to the phone and picking it up.  “Well, that didn’t go very well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hit me up on tumblr at hopped-up-on-maple-syrup!  
> Hit up my betas at amadeus-amadeo and rose-madder-gaze!


	4. Vlog #4(5?): Keith Plays Chubby Bunny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance suggests they play Chubby Bunny. Food goo makes this much harder than it should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enter Hunk and Pidge, followed by insanity

The camera focuses on a pile of food goo, and Lance’s voice can be heard in the background.  “Okay guys,” Keith says, “today me and Lance are gonna do something really dumb.”

“It’s not dumb!” Lance interrupts, and Keith turns the camera on him.  “It’s a fun Earth game called _Chubby Bunny!_ ”

“It sounds really dumb to me.”

“It is not!  Hunk!”  Lance turns to his left, and the camera follows his gaze, landing on the yellow paladin.  “Hunk, tell them it’s not dumb!”

“Tell who what’s not dumb?”

“Tell _them_  that Chubby Bunny isn’t dumb!”

“Oh, wait, are you guys gonna play Chubby Bunny?!”  Hunk’s face lights up for a moment before confusion works its way across it.  “What are you using instead of marshmallows?”

“Food goo,” Keith and Lance reply in unison.

“Ooh, can I play?”

“Sure, buddy.”

“Yes!”

“How about you, Pidge?”

Keith turns the camera to the paladin in question, who looks up at the mention of their name.

“How about me…?”

“Chubby Bunny, you in?” Lance asks, obscuring the camera shot slightly before Keith moves.

“Aw, you guys know I’ll lose; I’m smaller than all of you!” they say, seeming genuinely disappointed.

“You can still give it your best shot.”

Pidge sighs.  “I guess.”

“So is anyone going to explain this game to whoever ends up watching this disaster?”

Lance yanks the camera from Keith and turns it on himself, earning a, “Hey, my phone!” before beginning to describe the game Hunk seems all too excited for.

“Chubby Bunny, Hunk, how would you put it?” Lance asks, leaning into his best friend and capturing the two of them in the shot.

“Basically, okay, so what you do is, well back home it’s played with marshmallows, but what we’re gonna do instead is, after every spoonful of goo, we try to say, “Chubby Bunny,” but we can’t eat it or spit it out.”

“And the last person able to say it wins!” Lance finishes with a grin.

“This is gonna be harder than it was with marshmallows, y’know,” Pidge says, popping into the frame.

“What?  No, it’s not!”

 

“Lanth, I fink Pij wush raht, dis is rilly hahd.”

The camera turns to Hunk, who’s got his head tilted back as he tries to talk around the goo in his mouth.

“No is not, Huk,” Lance replies, reaching down with his spoon to the plate of goo in front of them.  He shovels it into his mouth and does a bit of swishing before he tilts his head back again.  “Chubbeh Bunneh.”

“You guys look like you’re in pain,” Pidge’s voice comes from behind the camera as they pan it between the three remaining contestants.

“Ahm!” Hunk says affirmatively, nodding.

Keith stifles a laugh behind his hand before sitting up straight and taking a spoonful of goo from the plate.  “Dish ish sho dumb,” he mumbles before shoving the spoon through his lips.  It takes a bit longer to situate the contents of his mouth before continuing, but once he does, he says, “Shub-Ch-Chubbih Bunnih.”

“Your turn, Hunk,” Pidge says, but as the largest paladin eyes the plate, he shakes his head and swallows the goo he’s been holding for fifteen minutes.

“I’m--I’m done.  I can’t.”

“Ooh, so close, it looks like Lance and Keith are neck-and-neck yet again!” Pidge says, turning the camera on the last two standing.  “Shall we raise the stakes?”  They nod together.  “Winner cuts the loser’s hair.”  Another nod.  “Alright, your turn, Lance.”

Lance pauses his taunting and nods seriously.  He adds a spoonful, swishes it around, and as he tilts his head back to open his mouth, Keith cracks up, goo spewing out of his mouth and nose.

Lance, shocked, gags and spews his own mouthful of goo all over his pants.  “ _Seriously, Keith?!  That’s disgusting!!”_ Lance cries, turning to the offending boy.

Keith is coughing amidst his laughter, and Pidge thinks he might die from this.  “I'm-- _cough--_ s-sorr _\--burp, cough--_ you just _\--gasp, hack--_ you juss looked so r-ridiculou--!”  His laughter revs once more as he leans back to lie on the floor where they've been sitting for most of the game.

Lance glares at Keith for a few more seconds before starting to laugh himself.  It _was_ kind of funny, not to mention--”Hey, I won!  I _won_ , I _beat_ you, Mullet!  Kiss the eighties goodbye, Billy Ray!  I've got the _perfect_ haircut in mind just for you!”

Pidge turns the phone to face themself and raises an eyebrow.  “ _T_ _his_ is gonna be the disaster."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for any formatting issues, the editor for AO3 is kind of strange and adds/takes away spaces in random spots :/
> 
> hmu at hopped-up-on-maple-syrup on tumblr! my betas are rose-madder-gaze and amadeus-amadeo! stay tuned for the next one, where Lance murders Keith's mullet!


	5. Vlog #5(6?): Keith Gets a Haircut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for Lance and Keith to settle their bet. Since Keith lost, it's death to the mullet! Have fun, Lance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> buh-bye, Billy Ray

Keith opens his next vlog with a sigh and leans back a bit, squinting.  “Is that--Lance is that good enough?”

“I mean, I think so?  I don’t know; I watched vloggers online, but I’ve never made one myself.”

"Oh, you've never made a vlogger?"

"A  _vlog_.  I've never made a  _vlog._ "

Keith looks off camera with a small smirk.  “That’s not true.”

_ “Before _ space, Mullet.”

“Y’know, you’re gonna have to come up with a new insult after this.”

Lance walks into the frame and sits next to Keith, rolling his eyes.  “Okay, Dropout.”

Keith’s brows twitch and he scowls.  “I didn’t drop out, I was expelled.”

“What did you do that was bad enough to get booted anyway?”

“It was dumb--I was just sharpening my pencil, and then suddenly the  _ whole school _ is on lockdown because,” Keith flutters his eyelashes and clasps his hands together before raising his voice several pitches, “Oh no!  Keith pulled out a knife in the middle of class!!  He’s gonna stab us!”

Lance’s expression is a mix of confusion and amusement as he studies Keith’s pose.  “First a joke, now this?  Who are you, and what have you done with Keith?”

Keith scoffs and shoves Lance gently, rolling his eyes.  “Are we gonna do this or not?”

“Oh--oh, right!  Death to the mullet!”

Keith smiles softly at his guest before looking at the camera.  “Okay, so today, since I lost the stupid bunny game in the last video, he’s gonna cut my hair in this one, I guess.  That’s--that’s what we’re doing, right?”

He looks back at Lance, who nods once.  “Yup.”

“Since none of the “adults” know about this, we’re gonna have to be...what’s the word?  Subtle?”

“Yeah.  Wait...why?  It’s not like they’re gonna do anything if you cut your hair.”

“I...I don’t know, actually...okay, yeah, let’s do this.”

Lance stands and grabs a pair of scissors from somewhere off camera before stepping between their chairs to stand behind Keith.  “Besides, we’re literally doing this in the least secret place in the Castle.”

“Aren’t Hunk and Pidge supposed to be here?  They said they wanted to watch.”

“Oh, yeah!” Lance leans over Keith and grabs the phone, his hand obscuring the shot until he adjusts his hold.  “Let’s go get Hunk and move this party to Pidge’s room.”

 

Lance is knocking loudly on Pidge’s door when the next shot focuses and Hunk stands next to him, a nervous excitement evident on his face.

The door slides open to reveal a very sharp glare coming from the youngest paladin, but once they take notice of the scissors, razor, and phone, they simply grin and step aside.  “Let’s do this thing.”

Keith is the last one in, and Hunk takes the phone as everyone situates.  Pidge sets up a chair in the middle of the room as the official “haircut station” and takes a seat next to the largest paladin on the bed, disappearing from the frame.

“Okay, are we good?” Lance asks, looking at Hunk once Keith has sat down facing the door.

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Everyone ready?” the Cuban boy glances between each of the paladins in the room, and he’s met with a nod from everyone.  “Alright, say goodbye to the mullet everybody!”

Hunk stands and the camera angle changes as he takes a step toward the chair to show the razor in Lance’s hand as he makes the first move.

_ Vvvvvzzzt. _

Hunk laughs but covers his mouth quickly before panning the shot to Pidge, whose eyes are nearly as wide as their glasses.  The yellow paladin moves around to get a shot of Lance’s face, and it’s almost as if he can’t believe what he’s just done.

“Guys, is it too late to change my mind?” Keith asks, and his face comes into the frame a second later as Lance immediately answers with a firm,  _ Yes. _

With a heavy sigh, Keith sinks into the chair and Hunk turns back to the action as Lance shaves the mullet off, one chunk at a time.  Pidge appears in the bottom of the frame after a few minutes, and the only sound for a long time is the razor.

After what feels like, and very well may have been, hours, Lance steps away to signal that he is finished.  No one moves for a moment, and then Keith is yanking the phone from Hunks hands and flipping the camera to get a look at himself.

Silence.

“I...actually don’t hate it…” he looks over his shoulder at Lance, then readjusts his head so he’s looking at the boy with his head leaned back.  “Thanks, I guess.”

“You look really good with an undercut, Keith,” Hunk says after a moment, and Pidge chimes in with a short agreement.

“What did I tell you?  The  _ perfect _ haircut!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eyo! thank you for reading this far! you can find me at hopped-up-on-maple-syrup on tumblr, and you can find my betas at rose-madder-gaze and amadeus-amadeo! next time on Keith's Vlogs: the "adults'" reactions
> 
> In loving memory of Keith's Mullet:  
> June 10, 2016-October 9, 2017  
> You will be missed.


	6. Vlog #6(7?): Keith Has a Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith reveals his haircut to the "adults of Team Voltron." It doesn't go as we'd hoped.

Keith opens the next vlog with a scowl as he pulls at his bangs.  “So, I have no idea how to...do my hair, or whatever?  Like, don’t get me wrong, Lance did a surprisingly good job, but I can’t even remember the last time I cut my hair.  How do you even...make it look good, I guess?”  He huffs and studies his image in the phone closely before pushing his hair back a bit.  “Is that...is that good?

“Ugh, whatever.  I give up.”  He runs his left hand through it several times before finally walking out of his room, the camera shaking minutely with each step.  “So, we all agreed that I would film Shiro’s reaction today, so…

“Man, I’m saying, “so” a lot today,” he cuts himself off, looking to his left for a moment before turning back to the camera.  “Anyway, I guess we’ll see how this goes.”

He sighs and lowers the phone a bit after flipping the camera, as though trying to hide the device as he walks into the dining room.  The shot is off-kilter and blurry, but all conversation stops once he’s been spotted.

“...Keith…?  What...where’s…”

“Lance, uh...Lance cut my hair last night…” Shiro stands slowly, his face leaving through the top right of the shot as he approaches the younger boy.

“I...why?”

“I lost a bet.”

“Well, I quite like this new appearance of yours, Keith, it suits you!” Coran says, the smile evident in his voice.

“I agree, Keith.  It’s much nicer than your...what was it?  Mullet?  Yes, I like this much more than your mullet,” Allura adds.

“Uh...thanks, I guess…”

“Maybe you should have had Lance cut your hair, eh, Shiro?” Coran teases as he heads into the kitchen.  “He seems to be rather good at it.”

Shiro grumbles something unintelligible and the camera jostles as though Keith has been physically moved.  The doors slide open and the ex-paladin’s footsteps can be heard retreating through them.

“What...what was that about?” Allura’s voice is soft when she asks, so much so that the end of her question is nearly drowned out when Keith shoves his hand into his pocket and blocks out the shot before the video cuts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hmu on tumblr at hopped-up-on-maple-syrup! hit up my betas at amadeus-amadeo and rose-madder-gaze! no I will not acknowledge Shiro's awful behavior more than to say that it comes into play soon! see you next time!


	7. Vlog #7(8?): Keith Divides the Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is mad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's short but effective.

It’s dark and silent, Keith’s face only barely visible.

“So…” Keith sighs and the camera shifts, causing the shot to tilt.  “I, uh...there’s something wrong with Shiro.”  His words are matter-of-fact, and his expression is serious, yet angry.  “I don’t...this is gonna sound crazy, but that’s not...whoever-- _whatever_ that is, it’s not Shiro.  Shiro would _never--!_

“He scolded me for wanting to... _that’s not him_ .”  He runs a hand through his hair and pulls at it in frustration.  “This probably doesn’t make any sense to you, but that is _not_ Shiro, and I'm done taking orders from _it_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;)
> 
> hmu on tumblr at hopped-up-on-maple-syrup  
> my lovely betas are rose-madder-gaze and amadeus-amadeo


	8. Vlog #7.5(????): Lance Sides With Keith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Read the chapter title, bc that's pretty much it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy some tired and conspiratory Klance

A slow and heavy sigh opens the next video, and Lance is seated next to Keith, though they’re both looking a bit haggard.  “So, to further prove my point, “Shiro,” or whatever that _thing_ is, totally jeopardized today's mission and nearly got us killed by literally _arguing_ with me mid-battle.”

“It's true, I was there,” Lance agrees flatly, seeming to nearly lean on the boy holding the camera.  “Shiro--”

“ _Shiro,_ ” Keith hisses, emphasizing with an air quote.

Lance looks at the pilot of the Black Lion before rolling his eyes and resting his chin on his shoulder.  “Right. _“Shiro,”_ he raises his arms to mimic Keith’s sarcastic gesture before letting his arms drape over the other boy, “has been very... _un-Shiro-ic_ as of late, if you ask me.”  The tired smirk on his face is met with a fiery glare, though the blush that accompanies it takes away from the effect it may have had otherwise.

Lance’s smirk fades and he sighs before looking back in the direction of the camera.  “Alright, alright.  Shiro’s been acting weird lately.  It all started with his hair, honestly.”

Keith’s expression grows angrier, but before he can say anything Lance continues his thought.  “Hair doesn’t grow that fast in my experience.  He was gone for what?  Like three, four months?  His hair would _not_ be that long.  I would know.  I have sisters.”

“Well...what else tipped you off?” Keith asks, his tone calmer than it was at the start of the video.

“The way he cut it, honestly.”  Lance shrugs and sits up, stretching a bit.

Keith’s face darkens and he hesitates before leaning away now that the other boy’s arms have loosed him.  “The...the way he cut it?”

“Well...yeah.  I mean, think about it; do you really think that _Shiro_ would make himself look like Buzz Lightyear?  C’mon, Keith, he’s cut his own hair before.  How else do you think he stayed crisp in deep space?”  Lance’s smirk is back now, but Keith realizes that he has a point, even if this is some sort of joke.  “No, but seriously,” Lance says, his face growing somber, “that’s not Shiro, and we’re gonna prove it.”

Keith grins and nods, and then the video ends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hmu at hopped-up-on-maple-syrup on tumblr! my amazing betas are amadeus-amadeo and rose-madder-gaze on tumblr! stay tuned for some space mall shenanigans!


	9. Vlog #8(Maybe?): Keith Celebrates “Halloween” (Also Everyone Else is There Too)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is Halloween  
> In January, apparently.

Keith’s laugh starts the vlog, and Lance is the one holding the camera.  “Keith, what-what’s so funny, Keith?”

The shorter of the two shakes his head, bringing a hand up to stifle his laughter, but when he catches his image on the screen and sees his hair he cracks up again.

“It’s s-so _fluffy!”_ he cries amidst his laughter, and Lance’s smile grows as he watches his teammate.

“It looks great, Keith.  I like it this way.”

Keith’s laughter dies down and he straightens slowly, wiping his eyes as a smile rests on his face.

“You should laugh more often.”

Keith’s face, flushed from his fit of laughter, reddens a fraction as he looks at Lance, obviously a bit shocked.  “You should tell better jokes.”  The smirk on his face makes it obvious that the jab is all in good fun, and his eyes shine with the joy he obviously feels.

Lance scoffs dramatically and holds his free hand against his chest, exaggerating his pose to show that he’s playing along.  “And just what is that supposed to mean?!”

This sends Keith into another round of giggles and laughs, and Lance’s expression softens as he watches his friend with the fondest of smiles.

“So, are you gonna tell them what we’re doing today, or should I?” Lance asks after a moment, and since laugher still cuts through his words, the blue boy recenters the shot on himself but leaves Keith in the bottom corner.  “Today we are going back to the Space Mall,“ he reveals with a flourish and a spin.  “Why?  Who cares?!  We get to window shop while Coran tries to find whatever it is we need.  Keith thought it would be fun to record it, so--!”

 _“Attention, Paladins.  Please gather in the command center for a review of proper Swapshop etiquette!”_  Coran’s voice chips over the intercom, and Lance rolls his eyes with a grin.

“Alright, Keith.  Go Time.”

Lance winks at the camera before turning to his friend and then the footage cuts.

 

The next shot is shaky and blurred as if taken in secret.  Lance snickers softly as he zooms in on Allura, who stands behind Coran, looking bored and antsy.  He shifts the frame to Shiro, but swings past him and then back.  “He’s so serious,” Lance whispers, and the camera shakes as his arm is jostled.

“Lance, stop it,” Keith responds.

The picture goes dark and a loud, _Kmpshislpafphf_ , sounds as his hand grasps the phone and moves it down and out of anyone’s line of sight.

“Lance, Keith, are you two quite alright?” comes Allura’s muffled voice, and Keith makes a choking noise as he grasps for a reply, but Lance beats him to it.

“We were just talking about what Keith is going to get at the mall for his birthday!”

“Birthday?” several voices chime, including Keith’s.

“Well, it’s been, like, a _year_ since we left Earth.  It could be October,” Lance offers.

“How do you know my birthday?” Keith asks, his confusion evident in his voice.

“I know _everyone’s_ birthday.”

“It’s true,” Hunk interjects.

“Wait, so if it’s ‘October,’” Pidge puts extra emphasis on this, indicating air quotes, “does that mean we’re doing Halloween too?”

“That would be so--!”

 

The camera focuses on a shot of the four younger paladins in throw-together costumes, though it seems that Lance and Keith have just swapped clothes.

“I still don’t understand why we aren’t just wearing our Paladin armor,” Keith mumbles, pulling up Lance’s pants, which are even baggier on him than the slightly taller boy.

“We wear that all the time!  It’s not a costume, it’s a _uniform!”_

The pilot of the Black Lion rolls his eyes and shoves his hands into the too-low pockets of the borrowed bomber coat.  “How can you even wear this?  I feel like I’m being swallowed, plus it’s, like, ridiculously warm.”

“How can _you_ wear _this?!_  Where’s the rest of it?!” Lance retorts, yanking on the bottom of Keith’s cropped jacket.  “ _I_ feel like I’m _suffocating_ ; everything’s so tight!”

“If you two are done complaining about each other’s clothes,” Hunk slings his arms around the two, jostling the camera, “Pidge and I are ready to explain our costumes; so you two are going as each other, right?  Well, originally we were going to switch too, but...” he pauses and looks at Pidge, who has taken up a space at the bottom of the frame.  “Ain’t no way I’m fittin’ in those tiny clothes.”

“So _instead_ ,” the smallest paladin pipes up, pulling a helmet from the bottom of the frame that has been hastily covered in black marker.  “I’m gonna be Shiro, and Hunk is gonna be the Black Lion.”

“That...guys, that doesn’t work anymore; Shiro’s not the Black Paladin, Keith is, and I’m already being Keith, so--!”

Pidge shoves the helmet on and lowers their voice a few pitches.  “That’s enough chit-chat from you, La--I mean, Keith.  Now, get to your Lions!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, I had other things I was working on!  
> Thank you so much for reading; please leave comments if you liked it! Come hit me up on tumblr at hopped-up-on-maple-syrup where my writing tag is "Maple writes"  
> Also, go send some love to my wonderful friends, rose-madder-gaze, and amadeus-amadeo, who helped to beta this fic!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! If you wanna come blab about Voltron or whatever, my tumblr is hopped-up-on-maple-syrup.tumblr.com, and my writing tag there is "Maple writes." I'd also like to give a huge shout out to tumblr users rose-madder-gaze and amadeus-amadeo, who helped beta this piece and give me the courage to actually post it!


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